Ventilating- sewers



UNYDED y STArns PATENT ernten ENOCH THORN, OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA.

VENTILATING sEwERs.

To aZZwwm t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ENooH THORN, of the city and county of Philadelphiaand State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered a new and usefulImprovement in the Method ot Relieving Common Sewers from CompressedAir, and Thereby Preventing Them from Bursting or Choking; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, 'and exact descriptionof the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, inwhich-.

Figure l, represents a transverse section, and Fig. 2, a top plan, witha portion broken away to show the parts underneath it.

Similar letters in both figures denote like pfarts.

I am fully `aware that a flap valve has been used at the end of a sewer,whichoperates precisely like a tide gate, but such contrivances cannotrelieve a sewer from the pressure of air, to which on more flat locali-`ties, they are subject, and which may come first from one direction andthen from another, while such flap valve` can only open in The cause ofthe bursting `of sewers under' the accumulated pressure of air withinthem is this, that the main sewer may lill up at the upper and the lowerends at the same time, while the space between the ends is filled withair; the descent of the water by its accumulated weight behind thiscolumn of air, compresses it, until the sewer must give way, it havingno escape or else the water must be driven out into the streets throughthe inlets. It will not do to allow the air to escape through the inletsinto the sewer, because then you are subject to the escape of the foulair at all times. Besides to attempt to let it escape at that -pointwould destroy the cess pool, and cause another evil almost as great asthe one I propose to cure, by allowing everything to pass into thesewers, which are liable to be choked up by such means, and can onlywith the greatest l.

trouble and expense be cleaned, and would cause an unendurable stench.

`No provision, that I can learn, has ever been essayed for overcomingthis evil, until I first applied the self-acting valve. Now I am awarethat a weighted or self acting valve has been used in a variety of ways,but I do not claim a self acting valve, independent of its application,as thatis, and has been for years, common property, but I have made anew and useful application of a self acting valve, to a newI and usefulpurpose, one to which it has heretofore never been applied, and I haveby so doing made an invention to all intents and purposes under the mostrigid construction of the patent laws.

rIhe nature of my invention relates to the application of a spelt1acting valve to a common sewer, for the purpose of allowing the sewer torelieve itself of the compressed air which at times accumulates in it,so as t0 prevent the bursting up of the sewer, or its overflow.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to de- .scribe the same with reference to the drawings.

The sewer with its inlets, bridges, cess pools, drip stones, &c., may beconstructed in any of the well known methods, the application of myinvention to them not involving any change of construction, or takingfrom them any of the waterway, `on the contrary by relieving the sewerof the air, I give to it its very Jfullest capacity for the transmission of water, by relieving it of the air. The laperture in which I.arrange the self acting valve is made in the crown of the arch of thecommon sewer, in which* A, is the valve box, extending up to a level,with the pavement of the street.

B is a valve fitting snugly therein at the top and on a level with thepavement, to which is attached a connecting rod C, on its underside,said rod extending down far enough to be operated by the counterbalancedlever E. The rod C, is jointed at c, and provided with check nuts e e,which limit the opening of the valve, by striking against the guide barsD, D, which keeps the rod in proper p-lace. The counterpoise lever E,aids in opening the valve and by regulating its weight, the valve may bemade to rise when the pressure inside of the sewer amounts to a pressureoit' one, or more common sewer, for the purpose of allowing the sewer torelieve itself of the compressed air, which 'at times accumulates in it,so as to prevent the bursting of the sewer, or of its 15 overflow intothe streets, substantially in the manner set forth.

ENOCH THORN.

Witnesses:

M, O. B. KENNEY, C. HAIGHT, Sr.

